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DEFINING THE EFFICIENCY AND EFFECTIVENESS OF PROFESSIONAL

LEARNING COMMUNITY TO IMPROVE SCHOOL PERFORMANCE

A
Thesis
Presented to the
Graduate School
CEBU TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY
Main Campus, R. Palma St., Cebu City

In Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirements for
the Degree of
DOCTOR IN DEVELOPMENT EDUCATION

JOSEPHINE M. BANAYAG

April 2023
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Chapter 1

THE PROBLEM AND ITS RESEARCH DESIGN

INTRODUCTION

Rationale of the Study

District and school leaders seeking to enhance student achievement are

frequently bombarded with well-intended initiatives and technologies that promise

quick results. It can be challenging to identify the optimal structures, supports,

and tactics for enhancing student learning outcomes while also improving school

culture and developing teachers' instructional abilities. Many academics feel that

employing professional learning communities to encourage advancements in

teaching and learning is an effective, learning-focused strategy (Pirtle, 2019).

Professional learning communities (PLCs) have improved education from

the elementary grades to the college years in recent decades, with several

benefits. PLCs foster professional growth, cooperation, and creativity among

teachers. According to research, when instructors participate in PLCs, significant

school transformation happens, resulting in increased student achievement

(Wilson, 2016).

Professional Learning Communities are difficult to categorize since they

are neither new prescriptions, programs, or models nor innovations. PLCs, like

many educational concepts, have different definitions and levels of relevance for

different experts. Many initiatives and programs are regularly used in K-12

schools and College of Education/Teacher Preparation programs to improve

school performance and student accomplishment. Teachers and principals play

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critical roles in student learning, accomplishment, and school improvement. PLCs

are feasible at any implementation level because they provide a method for

incorporating educators in the workplace, particularly school administrators and

teachers.

Therefore, this study assesses respondents' effectiveness in implementing

professional learning communities in the designated public elementary schools in

Baybay 5 District, Schools Division of Baybay City. She feels that this study is

crucial for teachers, parents, students, and the overall success of the school as a

school leader in this area. The data of this survey will be examined to develop a

school improvement strategy plan.

Theoretical Background

This research is related to several theories, including Theories of

Organizational Learning (Bolam et al., 2020) and Social Learning Theory &

Professional Learning Communities (Clio, 2022). Furthermore, legal foundations

such as DepEd Memorandum No. 050, s. 2020 - DepEd Professional

Development Priorities for Teachers and School Leaders for the 2020-2023

School Year; and DepEd Order No. 35, s. This study was funded by the Learning

Action Cell as a K-12 Basic Education Program School-Based Continuing

Professional Development Strategy for the Improvement of Teaching and

Learning in 2016.
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LEGAL BASES
THEORIES
DepEd Memorandum
No. 050, s. 2020 –
DepEd Professional
Theories of Development Priorities
Organizational for Teachers and School
Learning (Bolam Leaders for School Year
et.al., 2020) 2020-2023

DepEd Order No. 35, s.

2016 – The Learning
Social Learning
Action Cell as a K-12
Theory &
Basic Education Program
Professional
School-Based Continuing
Learning
Professional
Communities (Clio,
Development Strategy
2022)
for the Improvement of
Teaching and Learning

Defining The Efficiency And

Effectiveness Of Professional
Learning Community

School Improvement
Strategy Program

Figure 1

The Theoretical – Conceptual Framework

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The concept of the professional learning community evolved from ideas of

organizational learning, organizations as learning systems, learning

organizations, and learning businesses (Bolam et al., 2020). Many features of a

learning organization have been studied by researchers, including architecture

and member behavior. Because of its multiple and multilayer character, the

concept of PLC has proven difficult to define, develop, and operationalize

theories have seen various parts as vital or supportive and lack evidence of

element interrelatedness (Sleegers et al., 2018).

Dimensions, features, traits, components, characteristics, or capacities

have all been employed in research to conceptualize PLC. Furthermore, the idea

of PLC is linked to a number of commonly used and comprehensive notions.

Dufour has warned that "the term has been used so ubiquitously that it is

in danger of losing all meaning" (DuFour, 2019). Along with the concept of

"learning community," the term "work community" is used in Finnish educational

discourse and practice (Webb et al., 2019).

Rosenholtz (2019) linked teachers' dedication to key social organizational

characteristics of schools such as incentives, task autonomy, learning

opportunities, and efficacy. She observed that workplace qualities such as

teacher networks' support for professional learning and classroom practices, as

well as teamwork, boosted teachers' commitment and efficacy in meeting the

needs of students.
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Individual learning in teams and groups, as well as organizational learning

(for example, new rules or processes), were discussed by Leithwood and Louis

(2018). They claimed that organizational learning requires individual learning and

that organizational learning exceeds the total of all individual learning.

Employees learn and improve via collaborative activities such as exchanging

expertise and knowledge, developing new strategies, and studying alternative

practices. The fundamental idea is that enhanced individual and organizational

learning improves organizational performance.

Professionals are those who are responsible for providing instruction and

are committed to their students' and their own learning; learning is the activities

of these professionals and activities that enhance their knowledge and skills; and

community is the collaborative activities of a group of professionals who learn

together and develop shared meaning and purpose (Hord, 2019). The core tenet

of PLC is that teachers should interact outside of the classroom to enhance

schools, professional development, and student teaching (Sleegers et al., 2018).

The goal of this project is to discover how professional learning community

responder groups may be used in a research environment. As a result, the

theories and legal foundation are relevant and vital to the research since the

concepts presented are connected to the variables under consideration.

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THE PROBLEM

Statement of the Problem

The purpose of this study was to assess overall school performance by

implementing a professional learning community among school heads and

teachers at identified public elementary schools in Baybay 5 District, Baybay City

Division, Baybay City Leyte during the School Year 2022-2023 as the foundation

for a school improvement strategy program.

Specifically, it sought to answer the following questions:

1. What relevant information from respondent groups can be derived?

2. As perceived by the respondent groups, what is the level of implementation

of an effective professional learning community?

3. What is the level of performance of the identified public elementary schools?

4. Is there a significant relationship between the level of implementation of the

professional learning community and the level of performance of identified

public elementary schools?

5. What are the challenges and barriers experienced by the respondent groups in

terms of the implementation of the professional learning community?

6. What school improvement strategy program can be developed based on the

findings of the study?

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Null Hypothesis

Ho1. There is no significant association between the extent of professional

learning community implementation and the performance of selected public

elementary schools.

Significance of the Study

The major purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship

between the degree of performance of designated public elementary schools and

the quantity of professional learning community implementation.

The study's findings gave valuable information and insights on the

following topics:

Department of Education. Therefore, the institution's current status would

be well understood. According to the research, the essential preparation program

should be undertaken to be aware of the inadequacies in the abilities of school

leaders.

School Heads. The findings of this work will be useful to school

administrators and teachers in the research setting. Details on optimal training

monitoring and recommendations to assist the long-term sustainability of a stable

working environment would boost the school's overall performance.

Teachers. The study's findings would offer instructors with a lot of

information. Knowledge of the importance of strong professional learning

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community implementation will undoubtedly help them achieve their goals and

carry out their education more successfully.

Learners. Hopefully, the pupils' grades will improve. This might mean that

they would be better cared for, as employment satisfaction spreads among

teachers, resulting in higher academic accomplishment.

Researcher. The findings of the study will assist the researcher in better

understanding the relationship between the level of professional learning

community implementation and the level of performance of certain public

elementary schools.

Future Researcher. This study would encourage future researchers to

extensively examine a variety of factors that might affect efficacy within the

institution's environment.

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

The research methodology, which covers the technique to be used, the

flow of the study, the research environment, research respondents, research

instruments, and data collecting techniques, statistical data treatment, scoring

systems, and term definitions, is included in this part.

Design

The descriptive-correlational quantitative approach was employed in this

study to assess the successful implementation of professional learning continuity

for school effectiveness.

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Flow of the Study

The study's input comprises crucial information on the respondent groups,

such as their age and gender, civil status, highest educational status, length of

service, performance rating, and related trainings, seminars, and workshops

attended. This covers respondents' opinions of the professional learning

community's degree of implementation in terms of learning opportunities for

teachers, needs-based development programs, and growth attitude among

stakeholders. Furthermore, information on the performance of the designated

public elementary schools in District 5, Baybay City Division in terms of cohort,

drop out, retention, and completion are included in this study. The relationship

between the professional learning community's level of implementation and the

level of performance of selected public elementary schools is then examined.

Furthermore, the responder groups' challenges and restrictions in establishing

professional learning communities are explored.

The research procedure was strictly followed and controlled by the

descriptive-correlational research design, which comprised the study's approach.

The study led in the development of a school improvement plan program.

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INPUT PROCESS OUTPUT

Relevant information
taken from the Transmittal Letter
respondent groups
Environment Permission and
Collection of Data
Level of
implementation of Applying Statistical
professional learning Analysis
community
Presentation,
Analysis, and
Level of Interpretation of
performance of Data
identified public
elementary schools Draw Findings, SCHOOL
Conclusion and IMPROVEMENT
offers STRATEGY
Relationship Recommendations PROGRAM
between the level of
implementation of
professional learning
community and the
level of performance
of identified public
elementary schools

Challenges and
barriers in the
implementation of
professional learning
community

Figure 2
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The Flow of the Study

Environment

This study was conducted in all seven (7) schools in the Baybay 5 District

in Baybay City, Leyte. There were four (4) schools awarded as School Based

Management (SBM) level 3 of practice in the division level among the seven (7)

schools of Baybay 5 District, namely, Balao Es, Jaena Es, Pomponan ES, and

Pomponan NHS, as well as three (3) schools awarded as SBM level 2 of practice

validated by division level. This is Leyte's second largest city in terms of land

area. The Baybay City Schools Division is part of DepEd Region VIII, Eastern

Visayas, and is a medium-sized division managed by a superintendent.

Baybay, formally known as the City, is a first-class component city in the

Philippine province of Leyte. There are 111,848 people living there. It is the

province's second largest city, after Ormoc, with an area of 45,934 hectares (460

km2; 180 sq mi). The Baybay language, which is separate from both Waray and

Cebuano, is spoken in the city.

Baybay is an important port on Leyte's central west coast, from which

boats depart for and return to Cebu and neighboring islands. It also contains the

Baybay Public Terminal, which serves routes from Tacloban, Ormoc, Maasin,

Manila, Davao City, and other Leyte, Southern Leyte, and Samar towns.

Farming and fishing are the most typical sources of income in an

agricultural city. Some hunt and participate in forestall activities. Rice, corn,

abaca, root crops, fruits, and vegetables are the most often farmed crops.
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The primary schools in the Baybay 5 District are in the barangays of

Balao, Jaena, Lintaon, Palhi, Pomponan, and Sabang (Fig 2). These are all

barangays located outside of the city center, and the native language is

Cebuano.
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Figure 3

Location Map of the Study

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Respondents

Seven school principals and 85 teachers from Baybay 5 District, Schools

Division of Baybay City, participated in this study. The respondents were chosen

via a process called as universal sampling. The inclusion criteria were as follows:

a) they are school principals or instructors working in a research setting; b) they

have been in the profession for more than a year; and c) they are willing to

participate and contribute to the aforementioned project.

Table 1 shows the distribution of respondents.

Table 1
Distribution of Respondents

District 5, Baybay City Respondents

Division School Head Teachers %

Balao Elementary School 1 7

Jaena Elementary School 1 7

Lintaon Elementary School 1 3

Palhi Elementary School 1 14

Pomponan Elementary School 1 15

Pomponan National High

1 32
School

Sabang Elementary 1 7

Total 7 85
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Instrument

The primary questionnaire for this study is a modified standardized

questionnaire developed from Johnson's (2011) study titled "A Quantitative Study

of Teachers' Perceptions of Professional Learning Communities' Context,

Process, and Content."

This is divided into four (4) pieces.

The first component asked for age, gender, highest educational attainment,

duration of service, performance rating, and attendance at appropriate training,

seminars, and workshops for the responder groups.

The second section of the questionnaire is a standardized questionnaire that

has been modified to assess the level of effective professional learning

community implementation among respondent groups in terms of learning

opportunities for teachers, needs-based development programs, and growth

mindset among stakeholders. This tool includes 30 items, each of which was

rated on a 5-point Likert scale: 5 for ALWAYS, 4 for VERY OFTEN, 3 for

SOMETIMES, 2 for RARELY, and 1 for NEVER.

Data on school performance was also collected, with an emphasis on the

cohort rate, dropout rate, retention rate, and completion rate for the 2020-2021

school year.

Finally, the fourth portion of the questionnaire indicates the hurdles and

limitations that respondent groups experienced throughout the implementation of

professional learning communities.

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Data Gathering Procedure

This study activity is carried out in a step-by-step manner.

First, a letter was submitted to the Superintendent of the Baybay City

Schools Division asking permission to conduct the research.

After the letter was approved, the surveys were distributed individually to

the respondents. The respondents were given adequate time, preferably 20-30

minutes, to complete the questionnaire.

The collected data was then submitted to a statistician for statistical

analysis. Under the supervision of the research adviser, it was further presented,

evaluated, and interpreted.

The completed document was submitted for review and revision.

Statistical Treatment of Data

The following are the statistical approaches used by the researcher in the

presentation and interpretation of data.

Simple Percentage. This determined the responder groups' age, gender,

civil status, highest educational attainment, length of service, performance rating,

and associated training, seminars, and workshops.

Mean. The mean was calculated to measure the amount of professional

learning community implementation among the respondent groups in terms of

learning opportunities for teachers, needs-based development programs, and

growth mindset among stakeholders. This statistic also evaluates the selected
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public elementary schools' performance in terms of cohort, drop out, retention,

and completion.

Chi-square. The quantity of professional learning community implementation

and the effectiveness of certain public elementary schools were determined.

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DEFINITION OF TERMS

Conceptual notions that are significant and critical to this inquiry are

operationally defined so that the terminologies used in this study may be fully

understood.

Challenges and Barriers. This highlights the challenges that the responder

groups had in adopting the professional learning community.

School-Improvement Strategy Program. This is the outcome of a study

aimed at reducing professional isolation, increasing faculty cooperation, and

disseminating individual teachers' abilities and ideas throughout a school.

Professional Learning Community. This is a strategy of school reform that

seeks to remove professional isolation, boost faculty cooperation, and distribute

individual teachers' abilities and ideas throughout a school. This will be evaluated

using a 5-point Likert scale.

School Performance. This is based on school performance indicators

developed by the Department of Education (DepEd), which include cohort rate,

retention rate, dropout rate, and completion rate.

Relevant Information. This relates to the gender, highest educational

attainment, length of service, and associated trainings, workshops, and seminars

attended by school principals and teachers at the designated public elementary

schools in Baybay 5 District, Baybay City Division.

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Chapter 2

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND STUDIES

A thorough review of the literature is conducted in order to fully

comprehend the link between the number of professional learning communities

implemented and the level of performance of certain public elementary schools.

Related Literature

When discussing professional learning communities, it is critical to note

that various major contributions to this innovative concept that is altering the field

of education and reforming the way educational services are provided to children

have been highlighted. Authors, former educators, and administrators Richard

DuFour and Mike Schmoker pioneered this concept in the educational realm by

creating professional learning communities.

Professional learning communities were further defined (Hoaglund et al.,

2019) as a group of committed educators working together in a continuous

process to improve student achievement. According to Mike Schmoker (as cited

in Hoaglund et al., 2019), in order to build and sustain a real PLC, teachers must

meet on a regular basis to improve previously set goals and assess their

effectiveness using formative data. He expressed his belief that the structure for

improved results is already in place within professional learning communities

(Hoaglund et al., 2019). From several attempts to define PLCs, leadership and

cooperation emerged as the most consistent features.

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True professional learning communities, according to Wilson (2016), entail

members sharing governance, which leads to school improvement. Schools,

according to Boyd and Hord (2014), exist to provide a haven for children to feel

valued, respected, and cared for. As a result, fostering a collaborative community

atmosphere among teachers and paraprofessionals is crucial to student growth

and success. Similarly, Schmoker's concept of professional learning communities

was founded on the premise that collaboration among instructors through group

work, borrowing, and idea development would result in improved student

teaching (Joyce, 2019).

Cooperation in professional learning communities differs from

collaboration in other cooperative teams in that PLCs are built with a specific aim

in mind (Hoaglund et al., 2019). Professional learning communities are meant to

provide a forum for teachers to decide how to respond when students fail to

learn. The purpose is to focus not just on student outcomes, but also on teacher

outcomes, with the underlying assumption that PLCs may lead to significant

improvements in teaching cultures and practices.

Individual professional development courses, according to Ning et al.

(2015), do not provide the continuous collaborative efforts that PLCs do. This is

the central concept of professional learning communities; it refers to the

collaborative practices and activities that teachers engage in to achieve mutually

agreed-upon goals (Ning et al., 2015).

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Related Studies

Professional learning communities have been examined by STEM

scholars. In one such study, a team of Texas A&M University researchers

employed PLCs, project-based learning, ongoing professional development, and

K-12 cooperation as part of a theoretical framework (Capraro et al., 2016). Their

three-year study aims to improve student achievement and teacher perception

(Capraro et al., 2016).

Over three years, their theoretical framework was tested at three urban

high schools in Texas, with six science and math focus groups interviewed

(Capraro et al., 2016). The qualitative interview produced many subthemes for

each issue, all of which focused on positive results (Capraro et al., 2016). For

example, project-based learning increased student participation as a subtheme

for theme one, which is characteristic of project-based learning classroom

experiences (Capraro et al., 2016). For students who received the greatest

degree of implementation fidelity, student performance on the Texas Assessment

of Knowledge and Skills increased considerably (Capraro et al., 2016).

Furthermore, qualitative research suggested that instructors rated different

PLC areas well, such as project-based learning (Capraro et al., 2016). One

teacher reported that PLCs increased individual student accountability and

ownership (Capraro et al., 2016).

More STEM research was conducted by Rick Hodges, a former Army

veteran who used professional learning communities and hands-on learning to

efficiently implement CASE (Curriculum for Agricultural Science Education),

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which lays a heavy emphasis on merging STEM education (Fritsch, 2017). It was

determined that professional learning communities allow for more hands-on

instruction inside the CASE program (Fritsch, 2017). Hodges, who was frustrated

by the lack of hands-on activities in his own childhood education, became an

instructor to provide hands-on training programs inside professional learning

communities (Fritsch, 2017).

Ariel Sacks is a 13-year teaching veteran who has thrived in a number of

contexts, including the Renaissance Charter School in New York, New York

(Sacks, 2017). One of the keys to her success has been the establishment of

professional learning groups (Sacks, 2017). According to Sacks (2017), by

following five principles published by the non-profit School Reform Initiative, her

school was better prepared to embrace a professional learning community. To

begin, everyone is given a voice and the chance to participate to ensure that

everyone is heard (Sacks, 2017).

Finally, when correctly implemented by school administrators and

embraced by members, professional learning communities have been shown to

improve both student success and teacher perception. A thorough understanding

of what PLCs are and what factors have aided their rise from literature or practice

will enable more educators to easily accept their productive use.

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Chapter 3

PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS, AND INTERPRETATION OF DATA

This chapter provides the data gathered from the study's participants, as

well as the analysis and interpretation. The participants in the study are divided

into two groups: 7 school principals and 85 teachers, for a total of 92

respondents from Baybay 5 District, Schools Division of Baybay City.

RELEVANT INFORMATION OF THE SCHOOL HEADS

This section includes essential information about the respondent groups in

the research environment in terms of age, gender, civil status, highest

educational attainment, duration of service, performance rating, and associated

trainings, seminars, and workshops attended.

School Heads

Age. Table 2 shows the age distribution of the school principals.

Respondents
Age
n=7 %
51 years old and above 2 28.57

41-50 years old 4 57.14

31-40 years old 1 14.29

21-30 years old - -

Total 7 100
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In terms of age, four (4) or 57% of replies are between the ages of 41 and

50; two (2) or 29% are 51 and older; and one (1) or 14% are between the ages of

31 and 40.

Gender. Table 3 depicts the gender profile of the school principals.

Respondents
Gender
n=7 %
Male 2 28.6

Female 5 71.4

Total 7 100

When it comes to gender, female teachers outnumber male teachers, with

five (5) female respondents (71.4%) and just two (2) male respondents (28.6%).

Civil Status. Table 4 depicts the civil status profile of the school heads.

Respondents
Civil Status
n=7 %
Single - -

Married 7 100

Widow/Widower - -

Total 7 100

In terms of marital status, all seven (7) respondents are married. Most

responders are of marriageable age, according to the survey. They've settled in

at work and are ready to take on the responsibility of raising their own family.
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This suggests that children have been used to responsibility, to which, in addition

to life events, teaching has contributed significantly.

Highest Educational Attainment. The greatest educational attainment of

the school heads-respondents is shown in Table 5.

Respondents
Highest Educational Attainment
n=7 %
Doctorate Degree 3 42.9

With units in Doctorate Degree 2 28.5

Master’s Degree 1 14.3

With units in Master’s Degree 1 14.3

BSEEd/BSEEd graduate -

Total 7 100

Three (3) respondents, or 42.9%, hold a Doctorate Degree as their highest

educational achievement. Graduates with a BSEEd/BSEEd received two (2)

units, or 28.5% of the units in a Doctorate Degree, whereas respondents with a

Master's Degree earned one (1) unit, or 14.3% of the units.

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Length of Service. Table 6 shows the respondents' number of years of

service.

Respondents
Length of Service
n=26 %
More than 6 years 7 100

4-6 years - -

1-3 years - -

Total 7 100

Most school heads have been with the institution for more than 6 years,

with seven (7) or 100% having been with the institution for more than 6 years.

Most individuals believe teaching to be a lifelong job (Rey, 2017).

Consequently, when someone is given the opportunity to serve, it suggests that

the individual may build a reputation as a dedicated and committed educator

based on a time-tested metric: length of service in the company.

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Performance Rating. Table 7 displays the performance ratings of the

school principals.

Respondents
Performance Rating
n=7 %
Outstanding 1 14.3

Very Satisfactory 6 85.7

Satisfactory - -

Total 7 100

When it comes to the respondents' performance ratings, nearly all of them

obtained a very good level of performance, with six (6) or 8.7% receiving an

exceptional level of performance, and one (1) receiving an excellent level of

performance.

Relevant Trainings, Seminars, and Workshops Attended. Table 8

shows how many suitable trainings, seminars, and workshops the respondents

attended.

Respondents

Relevant Trainings, Seminars and N=7 %

Workshops Attended
International 4 57.1

National 3 42.9

Total 7 100
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When it comes to the most relevant trainings, seminars, and workshops

attended, four (4) or 57% attended international trainings, whereas three (3) or

42.9% attended national trainings.

Teachers

Age and Gender. The age and gender profiles of the teachers are shown

in this table.

Frequency
Variables Percentage
(n=7)
Age

51 years old and above 14 16.5

41 - 50 years old 32 37.6

31 - 40 years old 27 31.8

21 - 30 years old 12 14.1

Gender

Male 13 15.3

Female 72 84.7

Total 85 100

According to the graph above, the majority of teachers, 32 or 37.6%, are

between the ages of 41 and 50. This is followed by those aged 31 to 40, who

account for 27 or 31.8% of them. Furthermore, 14 (or 16.5%) are 51 or older,

while 12 (or 14.1%) are between the ages of 21 and 30.

When it comes to gender, female teachers outnumber male teachers, with

72 or 84.7% of responses being female and just 13 or 15.3% being male.

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Civil Status. Table 10 depicts the civil status profile of the instructors.

Respondents
Civil Status
n=85 %
Single 7 8

Married 77 91

Widow/Widower 1 1

Total 85 100

In terms of civil status, the majority of respondents (77 or 91% of them)

are married, seven (7) or 8% are single, and one (1) or 1% are widowed.

Highest Educational Attainment. Table 11 shows the instructors with the

greatest educational attainment.

Respondents
Highest Educational Attainment
n=85 %
Doctorate Degree 4 4.7

With units in Doctorate Degree 3 3.5

Master’s Degree 8 9.4

With units in Master’s Degree 50 58.8

BSEEd/BSEEd graduate 20 23.5

Total 85 100

Looking at the respondents' highest educational attainment, 50 or 58.8%

obtained units in their master's degree. Following that, 20 respondents, or 23.5%,

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hold a BSEEd/BSEEd degree. Eight (8) of them, or 9.4%, already have a

master's degree; four (4), or 4.7%, have a doctorate degree; and three (3), or

3.5%, have units toward a doctorate degree.

Length of Service. Table 12 shows the respondents' number of years of

service.

Respondents
Length of Service
n=85 %
More than 6 years 64 75.3

4-6 years 15 17.6

1-3 years 6 7.1

Total 85 100

In terms of tenure, the majority of respondents (64 or 75.3%) had been

with the institution for more than six (6) years. 15 of them (or 17.6%) have been

directing and teaching at the school for 4-6 years, while the remaining six (6) (or

7.1%) have been there for 1-3 years.

Performance Rating. Table 13 displays the instructors' performance ratings.

Respondents
Performance Rating
n=85 %
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Outstanding 4 4.7

Very Satisfactory 79 92.9

Satisfactory 2 2.4

Total 85 100

When it comes to performance ratings, nearly all the respondents earned

extremely high ratings, with 79 or 92.9% receiving extremely high ratings. Four

(4) of them, or 4.7%, were given an exceptional performance grade, while two

(2), or 2.4%, were given a good performance grade.

Relevant Trainings, Seminars, and Workshops Attended. Table 14

shows how many suitable trainings, seminars, and workshops the respondents

attended.

Relevant trainings, Respondents

seminars and workshops

attended N=85 %

International 1 1.2

National 29 34.1

Regional 10 11.8

Division 35 41.2

District 10 11.8

Total 85 100
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Division trainings have been attended by 35 persons, or 41.2% of those

who have attended the most relevant trainings, seminars, and workshops.

National trainings were attended by 29.1% of those who replied, while regional

and district trainings, seminars, and workshops were attended by 10.8%. Finally,

one (1) person, or 1.2%, has received overseas training.

LEVEL OF IMPLEMENTATION OF LEARNING PROFESSIONAL COMMUNITY

The tables below demonstrate how respondents rated the learning

professional community's degree of implementation in terms of learning

opportunities for teachers, needs-based development programs, and growth

mindset among stakeholders.

Learning Opportunities for Teachers

Table 15 depicts the extent of implementation of the professional learning

community in terms of learning opportunities for teachers. This relates to the

perceived volume and range of growth opportunities within the school

community.

Item Weighted Interpretation

Mean
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We have opportunities to practice new skills

Always
gained during staff development 4.52
Teachers are provided opportunities to gain Always
deep understanding of the subjects they teach 4.87
Teachers are provided opportunities to learn Always
how to involve families in their children's
education 4.58
The teachers in my school meet as a whole Always
staff to discuss ways to improve teaching and
learning 4.62
Teachers at our school have opportunities to Always
learn how to use technology to enhance
instruction 4.58
Our professional development promotes deep Always
understanding of a topic 4.64
We observe each other's classroom instruction
as one way to improve our teaching 4.58
GRAND MEAN 4.63
Very Often

Legend: 4.21 – 5.00 Always; 3.41 – 4.20 Very Often; 2.61 - 3.40 Sometimes; 1.81 –
2.60 Rarely; 1.00 – 1.80 Never

In terms of the first variable, it yielded a grand mean of 4.63, suggesting

that they use the professional learning community because they feel it provides

learning opportunities for teachers.

Teachers are given the chance to get a solid understanding of the

subjects they teach, which resulted in the highest weighted mean of all

categories, 4.87. Our professional growth creates comprehensive grasp of a

topic came placed second with a mean score of 4.64. With a 4.62, the teachers

at my school gather as a whole to discuss ways to improve teaching and

learning. Furthermore, our school's teachers are given opportunities to learn how

to involve families in their children's education; our school's teachers are given

opportunities to learn how to use technology to enhance instruction; and we

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observe each other's classroom instruction as one way to improve our teaching

received a 4.58.

Needs-Based Development Program

Table 16 depicts the amount of implementation of a needs-based

development program in the professional learning community. This pertains to

the development of professional interventions based on environmental scanning

data, relevant research, and an evaluation of previous programs aimed at

achieving this goal.

Item Weighted Interpretation

Mean
We design evaluations of our professional
development activities prior to the professional Always
development program or set of activities 4.53
Our school uses educational research to select Always
programs 4.68
Our principal's decisions on school-wide issues Always
and practices are influenced by faculty input 4.59
Teachers at our school learn how to use data Always
to mess student learning needs 4.62
We use several sources to evaluate the Always
effectiveness of our professional development
on student learning (e.g., classroom
observations, teacher surveys, conversations
with principals or coaches) 4.07
We make decisions about professional Always
development based on research that shows
evidence of improved student performance 4.46
We receive support implementing new skills Always
until they become a natural part of instruction 4.42
The professional development that I participate Always
in models instructional strategies that I will use
in my classroom 4.48
We set aside time to discuss what we learned Always
from our professional development
experiences 4.53
When deciding which school improvement 4.61 Always
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efforts to adopt, we look at evidence of

effectiveness of programs in other schools
We design improvement strategies based on Always
clearly stated outcomes for teacher and
student learning 4.57
We use research-based instructional Always
strategies 4.54
Teachers at our school determine the
effectiveness if our professional development
by using data on student improvement 4.5
At our school, evaluations of professional
development outcomes are used to plan for
professional development choices 4.51
GRAND MEAN 4.51 Always

Legend: 4.21 – 5.00 Always; 3.41 – 4.20 Very Often; 2.61 - 3.40 Sometimes; 1.81 –
2.60 Rarely; 1.00 – 1.80 Never

In terms of the second indicator, a grand mean of 4.51 indicates that

respondents always employ a needs-based development program in the

implementation of professional learning communities.

Based on educational research, our school selected programs that

obtained the highest weighted mean of 4.68. Following that, our teachers learned

how to manipulate data in order to muddle up student learning needs, and we

designed improvement techniques based on clearly stated outcomes for teacher

and student learning - with mean scores of 4.62 and 4.57, respectively.

Furthermore, we use research-based instructional strategies; we set aside time

to discuss what we learned from our professional development experiences -

both of which received 4.54 and 4.53. We designed assessments of our

professional development activities prior to the professional development

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program or set of activities, which resulted in the same weighted mean of 4.53.

Meanwhile, teachers at our institution evaluate students based on growth data.

Growth Mindset Among Stakeholders

This variable's final table, the stakeholders' growth attitude, is displayed

below. This refers to the inclination of teachers and other stakeholders to

embrace continuous learning and progression as a way of life in their

professional lives.

Item Weighted Interpretation

Mean
Our principal believes teacher learning is
Always
essential for achieving our school goals 4.63
Fellow teachers, trainers, facilitators, and/or Always
consultants are available to help us implement
new instructional practices at our school 4.60
Our faculty learns about effective ways to work Always
together 4.59
At our school, stakeholder learning is Always
supported through a combination of strategies
(e.g., workshops, jeer coaching, study groups,
joint planning of lessons, and examination of
student work) 4.62
Our principal is committed to providing Always
teachers with opportunities to improve
instruction (e.g., observations, feedback,
collaborating with colleagues) 4.60
Substitutes are available to cover our classes Always
when we observe each other’s' classes or
engage in other professional development
opportunities 4.63
My school structures time for teachers to work -
together to enhance student learning -
At our school, we adjust instruction and -
assessment to meet the needs of diverse
learners -
Our school's teaching and learning goals Always
depend on staffs ability to work well together 4.57
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GRAND MEAN 3.58 VERY OFTEN

Legend: 4.21 – 5.00 Always; 3.41 – 4.20 Very Often; 2.61 - 3.40 Sometimes; 1.81 –
2.60 Rarely; 1.00 – 1.80 Never

The last component gave a grand mean of 3.58, suggesting that

respondents execute a successful professional learning community in terms of

stakeholder development mindset.

Substitutes are available to cover our courses when we observe each

other's lessons or participate in other professional development opportunities; our

principal believes that teacher learning is critical for achieving our school goals,

which came first with the highest weighted mean of all categories, 4.63. Our

principal is dedicated to providing opportunities for teachers to improve

instruction (e.g., observations, feedback, collaborating with colleagues); and

Fellow teachers, trainers, facilitators, and/or consultants are available to assist us

in implementing new instructional practices at our school came in second with a

mean score of 4.60, while our faculty learns about effective ways to collaborate

came in last with a score of 4.59.

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SUMMARY OF THE LEVEL OF IMPLEMENTATION OF

LEARNING PROFESSIONAL COMMUNITY

Table 18 illustrates the level of learning community implementation seen

by the responder groups in terms of teacher learning opportunities, needs-based

development programs, and stakeholder growth mindset.

Item Weighted Interpretation

Mean
Learning Opportunities for Teachers 4.63 Always

Needs-based Development Program 4.51 Always

Growth Mindset Among Stakeholders 3.58 Very Often

OVERALL GRAND MEAN 4.24

Always

Legend: 4.21 – 5.00 Always; 3.41 – 4.20 Very Often; 2.61 - 3.40 Sometimes; 1.81 –
2.60 Rarely; 1.00 – 1.80 Never

The respondents' opinions of the learning community's degree of

execution are divided into three (3) indicators: learning opportunities for

instructors, needs-based development programs, and a growth attitude among

stakeholders. This yielded a grand mean of 4.24. The weighted mean for learning

opportunities for teachers was 4.63, while the weighted mean for growth mindset

among stakeholders was 3.58.

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School Performance

Table 19 displays school performance by cohort, as well as drop-out,

retention, and completion rates. These metrics give information on the schools

involved in this study's annual performance.

School School School School School School School School

Performance A B C D E F G

COHORT 94.12% 95% 92% 100% 96.40% 92% 82.86%

DROP-OUT 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0.23% 0%

RETENTION 100% 92.78% 100% 100% 97.31% 86.26% 99.29%

COMPLETION 94.12% 95% 100% 100% 96.60% 92% 81.43%

One school earned 100%, three schools received 94% to 96%, one school

received 92%, and one school received 82.86% for cohort rates. The proportion

of individuals who begin in the first grade or year and complete in the last grade

or year after the required number of years of study is referred to as the cohort

survival rate.

Dropout rates are 0% at all schools, with one school having 0.23%. The

dropout rate, also known as the school leavers rate, is the proportion of

pupils/students who leave school during the school year, as well as those who

complete the grade/year level but do not enroll in the following grade/year level,

to the total number of pupils/students enrolled the previous school year.

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Many of the schools performed brilliantly in terms of retention, with the

majority obtaining 100% and only one falling short of 90%. This is the proportion

of elementary/secondary pupils who return the following year after enrolling in a

certain school year.

Completion rates follow a similar trend, with two schools achieving 100%

completion and only one falling short of 90%. The completion rate is the

percentage of first-year students who complete a level of education in the allotted

number of years.

Based on the factors given above, it is possible to conclude that the

schools serving as the research setting for this study are above average, if not

exceptional, in terms of overall performance.

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Relationship Between Variables

Table 20 depicts the relationship between the implementation and

perceived usefulness of a professional learning community and the overall

performance of the schools included in this study (as determined by all

performance measures).

Variables Computed Critical p- Decision Interpretation

chi-square value
Professional
Learning .166* 0.055 Rejected Significant
Community and
Overall School
Performance
@ 0.05 level of significance

The table demonstrates that there was a significant link between the two

key variables of this study, with a critical p-value of 0.055 and a calculated chi-

square of.166*. This implies that the implementation of the professional learning

community has a direct impact on overall school performance. This suggests that

when stakeholders retain a growth mindset and allow a culture of continuous

learning to exist within the school environment, superior learning outcomes for

children and great overall school performance may result.

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Challenges And Barriers

Table 21 describes the hurdles and barriers that respondents faced

throughout the deployment of the professional learning community.

Rank Indicators f %

1st Funds 17 65.3

2nd Lack of Time 12 46.1

3rd Tools to be used like gadgets 8 30.7

4th Internet 6 23

When asked about the barriers and hurdles experienced by teacher-

respondents in terms of professional learning community implementation, most of

them said that a lack of financing was one of them (17 or 65.3%). This is followed

by 12 respondents (46%), who stated that one of their problems is a lack of time.

Furthermore, a problem with the tools to be used, such as gadgets, presented a

difficulty for them, with eight (8) or 30.7% of them saying that the internet is one

of the barriers to the implementation of the professional learning community.

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Chapter 4

SUMMARY, FINDINGS, CONCLUSION, AND RECOMMENDATIONS

This chapter includes a summary of findings, a conclusion, and

suggestions based on the study's key findings.

Findings

During School Year 2022-2023, this study assessed overall school

performance by implementing a professional learning community among school

heads and teachers at identified public elementary schools in Baybay 5 District,

Baybay City Division, Baybay City Leyte as the foundation for a school

improvement strategy program.

Conclusions

The adoption of the professional learning community has a direct effect on

overall school performance, according to the study's primary findings. As a result,

when stakeholders retain a growth mindset and allow a culture of continuous

learning to develop within the school environment, superior learning outcomes for

students and great overall school performance may ensue.

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Recommendation

The study's proposed conclusion, the school improvement plan program,

should be executed as soon as possible with the approval of the school

principals. Further investigation of the same variable, but using a more in-depth

and qualitative manner, is also a valuable tool for gaining a deeper

understanding of this occurrence.

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Chapter 5

OUTPUT OF THE STUDY

School Improvement Strategy Program

Rationale

A school that can create and preserve a healthy shared culture recognizes

which aspects of culture are critical in producing an effective learning

environment, and it communicates these values to its students on purpose.

While it may appear to be static, culture is a dynamic environment molded

by laws, rules, and changes in leadership. It is also vital for school administrators

to be aware of what influences or changes portions of the school culture,

particularly the learning community, whether purposefully or accidentally, and to

guarantee that the culture of learning and achievement is never threatened.

School leaders, according to studies, play a vital role in ensuring that the culture

promotes student achievement (MacNeil et al., 2019). However, as Bulach

(2021) points out, before attempting to change a school's culture, a leader must

first define it.

Professional learning communities (PLCs) are a school-based reform

model in which groups of instructors cooperate to improve student outcomes.

This method is founded on a simple idea: children learn more when their

teachers participate and learn alongside them. It is a tried-and-true technique for

schools to boost student learning by building a culture of continuous

improvement by integrating students' learning needs with teachers' professional

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development and practice, which is committed to professionalism and fueled by

collaborative expertise.

Because the outcomes of this study reveal that a functional professional

learning community contributes to the school's overall performance, the purpose

of this intervention is to guarantee that it is part of the school's overall

improvement approach.

Objectives:

1. Fully implement the professional learning community within the research

environment;

2. Improve the overall performance of the schools based on key performance

indicators of retention, completion, dropout and cohort rates.

3. Address the issues and barriers presented by the respondents pertaining

to the implementation of a professional learning community.

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Scheme of Implementation

Based on the findings of this study, the implementation scheme is directly aimed at increasing the implementation

of the professional learning community and overall school performance.

Area of Objectives Strategies Persons Budget Budget Time Evaluative Measures Actual Remarks
Accomplishm
Concerns Involve Source Frame ent
Professional Fully Discussion Research NA NA June 2023 Teachers more aware
Learning implement the and er, School and informed of the
Community professional Presentation Heads benefits of utilizing and
Implementati learning of the results and establishing a
on and community of this study Teachers professional learning
Overall within the to the community
School research teacher-
Performance environment respondents
and improve Stakeholder School 10,000 School July 2023 Teachers and other
the overall Seminar- Heads, Funds stakeholders more
performance of Workshop on Teachers, aware and informed of
the schools Improving the Communit the benefits of utilizing
based on key School KPI y and and establishing a
performance with a Growth Parent professional learning
indicators of Mindset Partners community
retention, Developing a School 30,000 School August Teachers more aware
completion, Culture of Heads, Funds 2023 and informed of the
dropout and Continuous Teachers, benefits of utilizing and
cohort-survival Learning: A Communit establishing a
rates Collaboration y and professional learning
with Parent community
established Partners
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learning and
winning
organizations
Issues and Address the Funds School NA NA Start of Improved financial
Barriers to issues and Inadequacy Heads, SY capacity for the PLC
the barriers Teachers,
Implementati presented by Tap Communit
on of a PLC the community y and
respondents partners for Parent
pertaining to sponsorship Partners
the to establish
implementatio the PLC
n of a Lack of Time School 10,000 School Start of Improved participation
professional Heads, Funds SY of stakeholders in
learning Time Teachers starting out the PLC
community Management
to Build a
Learning
Community
with Busy
Professional
s: A Seminar
Lacking Teachers 10,000 School Start of Obtained necessary
Gadgets to Funds SY gadget and other
Use materials needed for
the PLC implementation
Partner and
tap
community
leaders in
providing the
 PAGE \* MERGEFORMAT 33

necessary
materials
needed
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BIBLIOGRAPHY
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BIBLIOGRAPHY

BOOKS AND JOURNALS

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ELECTRONIC RESOURCES

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